Reversal of Fortune
by Nanoman94
Summary: The awaited sequel to both To See the World and Tales of the New Keyweilder. Witness the action, drama, suspense and hilarity of both Zacks, as one adventure in the Reverse World changes both of thier lives. Rated T for mild language and violence. Sequels are "Equestrian Keyblades" and "Under Cipher's Shadow," depending on the universe you're following.
1. A Summary of the Past

Prologue  
A Summary of the Past

Hey, Zack here. You know, the Keyblade-slinging guy. I know that I've told you my story already, but as a little refresher, or if you haven't heard my tale yet, I'll repeat it here, in these words. It started as any other high-scholar's day; I ate breakfast, got dressed, etc. But, while on the gym track, running to make up an assignment, the Heartless attacked my world. I was chosen by the mythical Keyblade to help save more worlds from the grim fate that befell mine.

I awoke in a place I now know as Twilight Town. There I met a boy named Sora, along with his companions, Donald and Goofy. We headed to Hollow Bastion, and met up with my friends, the warmonger Mike and the Conspiracy-Crazed Chris. We also met up with a mysterious, mute girl named Xion, who turned out to be a former member of Organization XIII, the leaders of the Nobodies. However, I convinced everyone to give her a chance, and they eventually stopped judging her for what she used to be.

We rounded around several worlds, and met up with several faces I thought only existed in the worlds of fiction. Ana was a spirited lass we met in the Underworld, and saved Xion from the three-headed Cerberus. Back at Hollow Bastion, I acquired my own gummi ship, _The Falcon._ It ran a little slowly, but it was reliable.

On our way to the next destination, I was flung out of my ship by a passing intelligence sphere, crazy about space. I landed on a hostile world filled with enemies and a toxic atmosphere, but a captain named Olimar helped me out. I also found a mysterious pink gem there, but more on that later.

In Christmas Town, my friend Kaitlin showed up, guns blazing (literally). We defeated the Heartless there, but still couldn't find the Organization's homeworld. We eventually tracked it down back at Twilight Town. I met a girl named Naminé, who seemed to be held captive by the Organization. She took me to the Organization's base, The World That Never Was. There, I met the last member of our group, the Pokémon named Rex.

At the final battle, against the Organization's leader Xemnas, I found another pink gem, which fused with the first. I still didn't know what they were for, but I kept them anyway. Eventually, with the help of Sora and his friend Riku, we defeated Xemnas once and for all. Naminé surprised me by opening a portal for me to get home, where I went with Xion and Rex, since they had nowhere to call home, or couldn't get there.

And that's pretty much it. I know I left a lot out, but that should be enough for a general idea. I wonder where exactly my adventures would take me next. Maybe I should focus on getting Rex back home…

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The name's Zack. And don't call me short, trust me; it'll be painful. For you. I'm a Pokémon trainer like a lot of kids, but the events that happened to me are what make me stand out from the crowd. Like my parallel-universe self, I'll summarize it as best I can.

I started my journey unlike most; rescuing my starter from a pack of poocheyna. She was a ralts I named Kiara, but an alternate color than most. I started travelling with a girl named May, and her starter, Torchic. Well, that happened after I saved her life from a crazy Ariados.

Joshua was my second Pokémon, an eevee, but technically my first since I've known him as the family pet for years. Rex was my third Pokémon, and I saved him from a trio of kirlia who were harassing him. Skipping forward in time, I had won two badges and Kiara had evolved. I met up with an Absol, and she was an odd one. She spoke the human language, and called herself Pandora.

I lost Rex in the Rusturf Tunnel, in a landslide. I haven't seen him since. May and her brother, Max, left to travel with a guy named Orion, after I asked them to. I had received a call from my mother, a researcher in Orre, to visit her for some important machine. Before I headed over to her Lab in Orre, Kiara evolved into a Gardevoir, and Joshua had gotten a fire stone, turning him into a Flareon. Ace, a Starly, hatched on the ship ride over.

Speaking of that ship ride, Kiara and I had grown close during that trip. I mean, _close_. That's when Arceus decided to screw my life over. A girl named Aelita was to take me to the research lab, but we got mixed up in a fight between Rayquaza, Lord of the Skies, and Deoxys, the Lord of Space (Actual space, like outer space, not Palkia's space- that's different). I lost an arm, and Kiara… well, I don't like to talk about that…

My mother, at the research lab, fixed a mechanical limb to my stump, which led me to be able to go find the Hall of Origin, Arceus's home. I was to get him to bring Kiara back. I set out on my new quest, but not before Ace evolved- he overdosed on rare candy.

I met up with a crazed Absol named Abita, who turned out to be Pandora's father. A fight broke out, and Pandora, now re-naming herself Talia, was in a shattered emotional state after killing her dad. I met up with Melody, the one and only Meloetta. She was to take me to Arceus.

When I made it to the Hall of Origin, I was greeted by every deity there was besides Giratina and Arceus. A fight broke out between Rayquaza and I, since I still held him responsible for Kiara's death. I'll admit, I would have died if Arceus hadn't stepped in.

We struck a deal. I go to the reverse world and rescue his son, Giratina, and he would bring Kiara back. Well, I just hope he keeps his end of the bargain.

(A/N: happy April Fool's Day! I hope you weren't expecting a prank from me, 'cuz I just won't do that. This is my big cross-story-inception-thing, between, well, Kingdom Hearts and Pokémon. Set in the Reverse World, it should be interesting… ~Nano)


	2. The Heart of Nothing

Chapter I  
The Heart of Nothing

(Kingdom Hearts Zack)

Well, that could have gone better. With my parents, I mean. First off, I was apparently gone for three years while I was away. Second, my mom actually fainted when I mentioned "mortal peril." Half an hour later, I introduced her to Xion and Rex, and she almost lost it when she saw the Lucario. Instead of describing it, well…

"What… is… that..?" my mom said.

{Hey, I have a gender, lady. I'm not a 'that.'} Rex complained. I'm glad the translator's power only works for Xion and I.

"It growled, I don't want it near me…"

"Mom, he's not going to hurt you. Rex is a good friend, he saved my life." I said. Xion was busy scribbling on her pad, and showed it to my mom.

_"If it wasn't for Zack, this world would still be trapped in Darkness."_

"Why couldn't you just say that, umm… Xion, right?"

"Mom, she's kind of mute. And it wasn't just me, Xion; Sora and Riku helped me out." I said.

"Who are these other people? And what do you mean by 'Darkness'?" My mom seemed on the verge of a panic attack. Luckily, that's when my dad got home from work. He'd be able to help.

He managed to calm her down, and eventually, they believed me. It wasn't until Xion and I summoned our Keyblades that they did, though. That's when my mom cried more; she was scared for me the entire time I was gone, thinking I was dead- when in reality, I was just _almost _dead. I assured her I was fine, but she walked to her room, distressed.

Meanwhile, my dad inched over and whispered in my ear, "You were gone for three years, and you show up with a mythical creature and a girl?" he put his hand on my shoulder. "Impressive."

"What, the Pokémon?"

"No, the girl."

(five months later…)

Xion and Rex had been accepted in my house, my parents letting them stay. Rex slept on the couch in our basement; he didn't mind, he was glad to have a place to stay. I took the top bunk in my brother's room, since Xion moved into mine. I didn't mind, and she really shouldn't have bunked with my brother. He still didn't get the fact that she couldn't talk.

Xion was used to Earth life now. She often went out with my mother, shopping or whatever. My mom referred to her as "the daughter she never had." Although it sounds mean, I understand; with me and my brother as her only kids, she had no "shopping buddy" as she called it. With Xion, she finally had one.

However, we still didn't tell them that she was a Nobody. I thought the whole "no heart" thing would creep everybody out. Xion agreed. However, five months after I came home, the strangest thing happened. A bottle fell from the sky, straight into my pool. I stopped swimming to grab it, and I was surprised to see a note inside. With my name on it.

"What is it, honey?" my mom said from the deck.

"Nothing, mom." I lied. "I'm just going to go in for a bit." Xion followed me inside, where I uncorked the bottle, after drying myself off, of course.

_Who's it from? _Xion wrote.

"Let's find out." I rolled the note out, and it was written in a script on the parchment. From the scratching on the letters, I could tell it was from a feather pen and inkwell.

_To: The Keyblade Meister Zack_

_ It has come to my attention that you are accompanied by the Nobody known as Xion. I have uncovered a great deal of information about her, and wish to share this with her, including her inability to speak. If you would be so kind as to use the train tickets located in the bottle and meet me in person, I would be grateful indeed._

_Yours truly,  
Master Yen-Sid_

I looked at the bottle again, and saw three tickets for a special train. "Redeemable at any train stop." I read off the top. "What am I going to tell my parents?" I turned to Xion, who shrugged.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" my mom screamed a few hours later. She grabbed my arms shaking me. "I LOST YOU ONCE ALREADY AND I WILL NOT DO THAT AGAIN!" My dad put his hand on her shoulder, and talked to her quietly. My mom nodded, and changed her mind almost instantly. "Well, I guess you'd have to pack…" I could tell she never wanted me to go.

My dad was the one to drive us to the train station. Rex wore a long overcoat and a hat, disguising his true form to other humans. My dad took me to the side, and said, "Now, whatever you do, get back home. Your mother would go crazy if you didn't." I could tell he would too. He didn't have to say it, I could just tell- it's the kind of man he is.

"Your train's here," the teller said. "Please, it's a secret track, so it's down here…" she led us down a tunnel I've never seen before. At the bottom was a single, blue and gold train with a wizard's cap on top. As ridiculous as it was, I was also simply amazed by it. The interior was the same coloration, and plush. This was a luxury train, I could tell.

The ride was smooth, and we were silent, all contemplating who this "Yen-Sid" was. I held my bow in my hand as a precaution, just in case. When we arrived, we were in an alternate world entirely, as I could tell from the _floating island_ the train stopped at. As soon as the three of us got out, the train vanished.

"How convenient." I muttered. "Be on guard, who knows what's here…" Rex and Xion nodded, the latter summoning her Keyblade. We entered the lone tower up on the island, and climbed up. It was the only dwelling here, so I believed Yen-Sid to live there.

(An hour or five later…)

"So… many… stairs!" I complained at the top.

{Yeah, even I'm exhausted…} Rex said. Xion flopped over onto the ground, her Keyblade clattering and disappearing on the floor. The room had a desk in it, and various shelves as well, all filled with magical items and potions. The chair behind the desk swiveled around, to reveal a man in a blue robe and pointed hat, with a long, silver beard he stroked as he started to speak.

"You are Zack, Xion, and Rex I presume?" he asked.

"Yeah… I'm Zack…" I was still tired from the climb, but I pulled Xion up and stood her next to me, Rex supporting her from the other side. "You are Yen-Sid, I take it?"

"_Master _Yen-Sid, if you will. Yes, I have called you three here to discuss her predicament." He pointed to Xion, who stood up on her own and approached him. "I know who and what you are, Xion."

"Well, then please explain what you know. I've been trying to help her too."

"I know this, Keyblade Meister Zack. But do you even know what she is?"

"Yeah, she's a Nobody. One who has no heart. I'm trying to help her in any way I can."

"FOOL!" he yelled. "Xion here, is not a Nobody." I was shocked, and apparently, so was Xion. "I have dug up the journals of Organization XIII's number IV, Vexen. He was the one who created Xion, from the memories of Sora, Roxas, and Kiari."

"Then what is she?" I asked. I'd still help her, that bit doesn't change. But I needed to know how.

"I do not know. She is not a Nobody, but she is, well… _nothing, _in its entirety. How she can exist, let alone wield a Keyblade, is beyond me." He stood up, and paced over to me. "But, I believe I have found a solution. Every being, even Xion has, or once had, a heart. I believe that Xion's heart is out there somewhere, unaffected by the Heartless by her unique creation."

"Where could her heart be, then?" Xion looked around a bit, unsure of what to do. "I mean, if it's out there, we should go get it!"

"My point exactly. However, I'd believe it to be on a distant world, one that is not connected to us like the ones you have visited already. Thus, I must give you the power to connect these new worlds…" he handed me a small, copper badge. It was shaped like a heart. "I now give you the powers and prestige of a Keyblade Knight. With this power, you may enter worlds that are not connected by the process of a Dream Drop."

"But, Master Yen-Sid, how will I know which one is the location of Xion's Heart?" However, at that moment, Rex reeled back from a magical item he was examining, knocking me down. My bag opened, and the two fused pink gems I had found earlier in my adventures tumbled out.

"I believe now that it would be a little harder than that." Yen-Sid said. He picked up the gem, and carried it towards Xion. Two strange things happened:

Xion froze up, and wouldn't move.

The gem was shining.

(A/N: how'd ya like that? Two updates in one day! Also, for those of you expecting to see the Pokémon Zack, please be patient- he'll appear soon enough. For now, hang on for the ride, and enjoy! ~Nano)


	3. The Power Inside a Heart

Chapter 2  
The Power Inside a Heart

"What the…" I said, then grabbed the gem from Yen-Sid's hand and pushed him away. "What the hell did you do to her?" Xion regained her breath, panting heavily. Rex grabbed her to support her from weakness.

"I was only bringing shards of her heart close to her. She was reacting exactly as I predicted." He got up, and walked over to me. "I will excuse your rudeness since you did not understand." He held his hand out to me, to get the gem again, but I placed it back in my bag.

"Hell no. Sorry, but if I'm going to go collect these shards, I'm going to need these as well." I spat out.

"I will tolerate your behavior only because you are this girl's only hope for recompletion!" he yelled. I stumbled back, surprised. "I can feel that your heart is deeply connected to hers, due to your close proximity to her heart shards. I believe, that with a little magical ability, you will be able to sense the other shards and their locations."

"Really..? But, I can't do that now, so how could I find them?"

"Simply look inside yourself, and awaken your magical ability." He said simply. I wondered what he meant, when I remembered the stained-glass realm I once survived. I wonder if that was where I needed to go. I believe Sora called it a "Dive to Heart."

"Do you have someplace could be alone? I don't think I could do that otherwise." Yen-Sid nodded, and opened his wardrobe in the corner of the room. It was bigger on the inside, and I found a nice, small room to concentrate. I've never willingly went to this place, but I can try. I closed my eyes, and focused on nothing but my own heart…

When I opened my eyes, I saw the black space and stained-glass platform like usual. However, the picture was different. I was still dominating most of the platform, since it was my heart, and Xion and Rex were still on it. However, I also saw two blacked-out forms, one human, one not. The three platforms from before appeared, with their items on top; a sword, a shield, and a staff.

_Your destiny calls, Keyblade Knight. This room is yours to use, but remember the price of power- to use one of the three items to its fullest, you must also give one ability up in return. _The voice said. Since this is my heart, wouldn't it be my subconscious or something? Disregarding that thought, I walked up to the staff.

_The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of both wonder and ruin. Do you wish to use this power to its fullest? _I nodded. _You have chosen the power of the mystic. Now, choose a power to give up in return._

I walked over to the shield, seeing as though I did fine without it before. _The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. Do you give up this power? _ I hesitated. I was only using this place to help Xion. Would I feel the same if I gave up the kindness to aid my friends? I shook my head, and went over to the sword instead.

_The power of the warrior. Invincible Courage. A sword of terrible destruction. Do you choose to give this power up? _Well, this was giving up a sword. I use a bow, so I nodded. _You have made your choices wisely. Or have you..? _The voice said before the realm faded.

I wok back up in the real world, and exited to the main room. "Well? Did you succeed in awakening your magical power?" Yen-Sid asked.

"Yeah, I think so. And, you're right. Besides the shards in my bag, I can feel Xion's heart fragments. I can locate them, if I had a ship."

"I was wondering when you would bring that up. As my final gift to you, Zack, just go outside my tower. I bid you good luck on your journey." He turned to sit back down in his chair, and opened up a large volume entitled, _1001 Ways to Cook With Magic. _I decided to leave him alone, Xion and Rex following me.

_"Are you really helping me, Zack?" _Xion wrote.

"Yeah, Xion. Think about it- you don't have your heart. We now have a way of getting it back, and I'll help you get all the shards of your heart back. No matter how many there are."

"Yeah, me too." Rex said. "Don't worry, you'll need my strength." When we exited the tower on our way down, collapsing from exhaustion at the amount of stairs, I was greeted by a familiar sight.

"The Falcon? I thought it was destroyed!" I said, running inside. I found it to be much the same as before, but with a few new features or improvements. First off, an autopilot was there. I had to worry about that. Second, a small sectioned-off sleeping area. No more hammocks for us! Finally, a decently stocked food closet. Yen-Sid was really good with his magic.

"Hmm, so I just hit the direction I want to go?" I muttered to myself. "Well, the closest shard I can sense is this way, so… Let's go!" I punched in the direction on the computer, and it blasted the ship off a warp speed. I knew it would take a while, even with this new, faster engine, so I went over to the food closet and started making a meal for the three of us. Xion was marking off a cot in the sleeping area for herself, while Rex simply looked out the window at the passing stars and worlds.

It felt great to be out here, adventuring again.

(Perspective change: a green-haired individual)

Well, I got what I wanted- a pass to the Reverse World. However, just as soon as I landed in this strange, ever-changing landscape, I was attacked. I had thought nothing lived here, like the legends. But I was wrong- the Pokémon that were attacking me were unlike any I've seen before. They had glowing, yellow eyes, and jagged smiles on their black bodies.

Not even Dexter knew what they were. Not like I could use him, since a strange energy jammed anything electronically powered. It's a good thing my arm ran on the energy produced by my body heat, so I could still move and attack these Pokémon.

"Don't worry, Kiara," I said after I had finished the battle. These creatures evaporated into black smoke if I damaged them too much. "You'll be back in the real world soon."

(A/N: and so another chapter awaits us. Will Zack find Xion's third heart shard? Will Rex be reunited with his trainer? And where is Giratina? Find out… in the distant future! ~Nano)


	4. A World Inside a World

Chapter 3  
A World Inside a World

"Are we there yet?" Rex complained form the back of the ship. I was busy looking at the complex navigation program in front of me.

"Uhh…" I used my newfound magical ability to hone in on Xion's heart fragment, and found it to be not that far away. Well, in space terms. The ship was locked onto a world through my ability, and a timer appeared on the small screen. "About five minutes if we don't hit anything."

_"I wonder what the world will be like…" _Xion wrote. I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it'll be unlike anything we've seen, most likely." I saw the world before the ship said we arrived. It was round like mine, and looked rather the same. Blue oceans, green land. But I knew it wasn't Earth- the continents were wrong. I manipulated a few of the buttons when we entered orbit, and scanned the surface with pictures.

"Hey, I know this world…" Rex said, thinking. When a yellow mouse-like creature scurried across the ground, he exclaimed, "This is my world! I'm home!" Rex danced around a little, happy and giddy. More so than I've ever seen him, actually.

"Well, almost, my Lucario friend. Your world isn't connected to the others. Only a Keyblade Knight can enter them, according to Yen-Sid." I thought for a second, then said, "Only I can enter it. But if I'm correct, you can get home after I seal the world's Keyhole, which connects the world to the others." Rex nodded in silence, but walked over to the food locker.

"Hey, I've waited about a year to get back. I guess I could wait a few more hours."

_"Do you even know how to get down there?" _Xion asked. That got me thinking.

"Yen-Sid mentioned something called a 'Dream-Drop.' I just don't know how to do it." I paced around for a second, then it hit me. I summoned my bow, and looked at the vambrace on my right arm. On one side was the arrowhead holder I knew and used often, loaded with my normal Keyblade. I turned it around, and saw a small, heart shaped indent. I took out the emblem Yen-Sid gave me, and slid it in the opening.

I felt a surge of energy flow through me, and I noticed a small, armored plate appear on my chest, latched to me with strips of the same material circling my chest. It was small, and covered my heart only, being bronze in color. A small white orb was on the armor, but I had no idea what material that or the armor was made of. Knowledge filled my head, too. Not much, but I knew what to do now.

"Xion, open the airlock." I said, the girl nearby shocked by my request. "Trust me, Xion. I know what I'm doing." I stepped into the airlock after she opened it, and thought to myself, _I'm either a genius… or I'm going to die. _I pressed my hand to the white orb on my new armor, and felt energy envelop me. I opened my eyes to find myself falling through space, almost weightless.

I dropped to the ground below as nothing more than a spirit, falling at a speed that was way too slow for entry to a planet; I learned that much from science class. I landed on the world below, and my weight returned, letting gravity carry my full weight for the last few feet. I landed at the edge of a town, and decided to go in for information on the world.

I entered a large, red and white building, to be greeted by a woman with long, pink hair, looped around her head in two large circles. "Hello, welcome to the Pokémon center. Do your Pokémon need any healing?" she asked.

I cautiously responded, "No, they don't. I'm just looking for some food."

"Oh, then the cafeteria is over there," she said, pointing to the left, "We hope to see you again!" She scurried off to the next person who entered, a young boy with blond hair. I walked over to the food area, and purchased a "Tauros Burger" with my ever-changing munny. The taste wasn't bad, but not that great either.

"Hey, who are you? I've never seen you around before." The blond-haired boy said, walking up to me.

"The name's Zack. You?"

"Barry. What brings you to Hearthome City?" He sat down across from me, after buying the same thing I did.

Taking another bite, I responded, "Not much. I'm not from around here, and I came to see the sights." I wasn't really lying- getting to be the first one from outside the planet to visit was exciting.

"In that case, how about I show you around?" Barry offered. "It would be a great way to see the sights around Hearthome, anyway."

"I think I'll take you up on your offer, Barry." I said, finishing my burger. Barry took me outside of the red and white building, and led me around the town.

"Here's the Pokémon contest hall, where the Sinnoh Region's Grand Festival takes place, and over there is the park, where a lot of people like to hang out. And if you're a Pokémon trainer, here's the Hearthome gym, led by Fatina." He rambled on and on about the finer points of the town, and even introduced me to his Pokémon Empoleon. The large, imposing penguin looked very proud of himself, and stayed mostly silent.

"Thanks, Barry. I'm a little tired- mostly travelling. I'm going to go relax in the park for a bit." Now, that was a total lie. I just wanted to get away from Barry. As nice as he was for showing me around, he was too full of himself and wanted to talk about how much _he _was the best or something similar.

I sat down on a bench in the park, looking out onto the lake nearby. Several Pokémon, the kind I don't know, swam on the surface. However, I saw a dark flash appear on the water's surface. It didn't look ordinary, and it scared the Pokémon away. I cautiously stepped into the water, finding it to only be a few inches deep anyway.

I summoned my bow, ready if Heartless attacked. This world, like all others, was always open to them before the Keyhole is sealed, but the Heartless found them only so often. The dark flash occurred again, right where I was standing. I crouched low, inspecting the water, but then- well, I blame magic and bad timing for what happened.

The water opened up underneath me, into some sort of portal. I couldn't move out of the way, and I fell not into the pond's bottom, but into another world entirely. The world was a sea of darkness, and islands dotted the landscape, varying in size and shape. That's when I heard the voice.

"Human… turn around… come closer…" It said, a deep, commanding voice. I turned, and viewed a large cage, made of darkness, holding inside of it the source of the voice. It was some sort of dragon, black with golden armored accents, sitting on six legs. Its wings were ragged and black, with six red cones on them, three on each wing.

"What are you?" I asked.

"I am the Lord of the Reverse World, human. But you may call me Giratina." He inched towards the cage's bars, to talk to me face-to-face. "I have been trapped here by forces from another plane of reality, human. Ones that have threatened all. They have placed me in this cage, to doom me slowly to their darkness, waiting for it to consume me."

"Can't you break free? You seem like a god to me."

"I AM a god, human. But these forces are beyond even my power, at least without my Griseous Orb. I cannot have my full powers without that orb, and I can sense it somewhere in this realm."

"Well, I could help you, but I'm kind of on a mission of my-"

"I know, human. I know that you seek this item, right here." Giratina moved out of the way, letting me se into the cage. I saw the pink form of one of Xion's heart fragments sitting in the middle of the cage, way out of my reach. "I will propose a deal, Human. Get me what I need to restore order, my Griseous Orb, and I will give you that which you seek."

"Well, when you put it that way, how can I say no? You have a deal, Giratina." I summoned my bow, since it had banished itself when I fell, and asked one last question. "How can I find it?"

"You can sense the essences of others, can you not? It is how you found this gemstone. Feel my essence. My orb is a part of me, and shares the same soul."

I concentrated deeply, able to use my magical abilities to hone in on Giratina's heart. I felt a similar presence far away, to the west in relation to the direction I was facing.

"I'll be back."

(A/N: one more chapter down. Now, what will happen when Zack meets Zack? Keyblade Knight meets Pokémon Trainer? Find out… whenever I feel like writing the chapter. See you all then! ~Nano.)


	5. Rival Destinies

Chapter 4  
Rival Destinies

(Pokémon Zack's point of view)

"Where are you, Giratina?" I asked out loud. The griseous orb glowed faintly, signaling I was getting closer. I wasn't travelling fast enough, however, because of all the odd dark-type Pok-no, I can't even call them that. These creatures were something different, something unique altogether. The stories said that Giratina was the only Pokémon to live in the Reverse World. They failed to mention the creatures of darkness.

Gravity shifted, something common to this plain of existence. I was now walking on the wall to my right, careful to jump the gaps to avoid falling into the endless void that existed all around me. More of those creatures appeared, some of them different than before- they were clad in a sort of armor, making it more resilient to my sword-arm. They fell all the same.

Gravity resumed its normal state when I crossed onto a large, circular stone platform. It was an odd rock, deep violet in color. Fissures cracked its surface, and boulders dotted around its flat top. That's when _he _showed up. I didn't know it then, but I wasn't alone in the Reverse World.

An arrow landed by my feet, surprising me. I jumped back, and brought out my blade, ready for a fight. My opponent, however, wasn't a creature. It was a human, no older than myself. He had short, brown hair, and brown eyes. His clothing was gray sneakers, cargo shorts, and a dark, forest-green shirt. His left hand carried a bow, like the people in ancient times used.

"I believe you have something that I need. Is that the Griseous Orb?" he asked, pointing to the tan jewel strapped to my back.

"Yeah, but I kind of need it," I said, "So you're just gonna have to deal without it."

"Sorry, but I need it now, kid," He was barely my age, and he called me the kid? "If you don't hand it over, I'll just have to make you."

"This orb is the only way I can succeed in my mission. The only way you're getting it is if you pry it from my corpse!" I lunged out at him, my sword ricocheting off his bow when he blocked. This gave me enough momentum to strike at him again, my blade sharp enough to cut his bow in two.

"I can arrange that, no matter how much I'd rather not." He said, the other half of his bow teleporting to his other hand, gripping it like a blade. I wasn't sure how he did it, but I know this guy wasn't a normal human. He swung his blades at me, and I countered with my arm. A swift punch to his face with my flesh and blood hand, and that sent him reeling back.

I took out my switchblade, flipping it open in my right hand. If he was using two blades, so would I. I blocked his first swipe with my arm, but the second swipe hit my side, cutting into my flesh. I jumped back, the wound not too serious. Before he could act, I pulled a potion out of my pocket to deal with that.

That's when it happened. The creatures returned, jumping out from the shadows to attack us. "Heartless!" he shouted. He diverted his attention from me to attack the so-called 'Heartless,' and I realized I had to do the same.

An armored one jumped to me, but my arm deflected it into my new ally's arrow. I stabbed one nearby through its chest, and flung it into several others, killing all of them. The other human shouted, "Heads up!" while punting one at me. I caught it with my left hand, and slammed it into the ground.

They kept coming, and we were wearing down. I knew this battle was going to end soon, and I knew it wasn't in our favor unless something drastic happened. A larger version of the smaller shadow also appeared, more aggressive than its counterpart. I was busy parrying the claw slashes of one, while back-to-back with my former opponent.

"GET BACK!" I screamed, acting on instinct. That's when the drastic thing happened. I threw both my arms back behind me, reaching past my right side with both. A large, blue energy sphere appeared, and I threw it. It went through several Heartless, vaporizing them almost instantly.

"What the fuck?" I said, but went with it. I threw another, getting similar results. I believe it was Aura Sphere, but that's impossible, I'm not a Pokémon. Then again, humans of old could use Aura as a power, maybe I'm a descendant. Either way, I had a power, and I'm going to use it.

"Give me strength!" My ally shouted, throwing a red gem to the ground. His clothes turned red, he held a crossbow, and he kicked ass. Both of our powers were enough to repel the hordes, and we enjoyed the calm after the battle.

His form reverted to normal, and he walked up to me, bow in hand. "Now, I know we just helped each other, but I really need that orb."

"And why do you need it?" I asked.

"I need a certain item that Giratina has, and he'll only give it to me if I return his orb to him." I burst out laughing. Not the amused kind of laughtr, but the kind that can only surface at the realization of a huge misunderstanding.

"Then our goals are aligned, my friend. I'm returning the orb to Giratina for my own mission. Let's get the job done, then head over and smooth the trouble between us back in the real world." I reached out my hand as a gesture of peace.

He shook my hand, and replied, "I'd appreciate that." We headed off in the same direction, the Griseous Orb telling us the direction of Giratina. But nothing, not even the discovery of my aura powers, could prepare me for what I found there.


	6. Scythe Meister

Chapter 5  
Scythe Meister

(Kingdom Hearts Zack's point of view)

We trudged across the purple landscape, Zack and I. We had learned each other's names as we explained our missions for being here. I also told him about Rex, and how he must have been sent to the wrong Zack. "Well, I can't wait to see him again. But tell me- if you're not from this world, then how come you know he evolved?" He asked me.

"Uhh, well… I uhh…" I couldn't tell him that his world, Pokémon, was just a video game to me back home. I came up with something instant for an excuse. "He told me."

"Yeah, sure. How could you talk to him? I was born with the ability to talk to Pokémon, but you? I doubt it."

"My spaceship has a universal translator built-in. If you're part of the crew, you can use it anywhere and at any time." That part wasn't a lie. However, the griseous orb suddenly stopped glowing, but I still sensed Giratina's heart nearby. "He's real close, I remember this hill. The cage he's trapped in is near the top."

"Then let me handle the talking. Odds are you have no idea how to properly address a deity." He walked forward, and I had no argument. I really didn't, and as I've learned from travelling with him, I should just entertain him rather than argue with him.

"Giratina, Guardian of the Reverse World, I have your Griseous Orb. Please, accept it." He said when we reached the top. Giratina looked at him with curiosity, but replied to him.

{Thank you for bringing me my orb, children of humans. Please, bring it closer- I cannot reach it from inside the cage.} Zack walked forward, placing the orb inside of the bars. Giratina touched it with his nose, and transformed, losing his legs to become a flying serpent of sorts. His body had golden spikes protruding from it, and his wings had separated into six smaller ones, each ending in a red spike. In short, he was now fifteen times more badass.

"Excellent." I heard a voice say. A flash of pink light enveloped Giratina, slowly fading to black. As it did so, I saw his eyes fill with rage, and waves of darkness covered his body. "You will make a fine Nobody, of that I am certain."

I turned, to see a figure hooded in the Organization XIII coat I knew well. One of his hands was releasing the energy, while the other held a pink scythe, with a green handle. I launched an arrow at his hand, halting the energy flow.

{Augh… the power… consuming… me…} Giratina said, roaring in pain. As he screamed out, a large Heartless insignia formed on his head. The cage shattered, and he flew free, blasting random areas of the landscape with dragonbreath. I saw Zack turn from the sight, to me.

"I'll take care of Giratina. You handle that creep over there!" he said, running after the enraged deity. I faced the stranger, summoning my bow.

"Who are you?" I asked. The figure threw down its hood, to reveal blue eyes and long, pink hair. _What gender are you? _I asked in my head.

"My name is Marluxia," He said. I could tell it was a male from the voice. "Organization XIII's number XI. Or should I say, one of our four surviving members. You helped to see to that."

"So does that make you the new leader, or something?"

"No, unfortunately, I am the only non-traitor that survived. Axel and Roxas are nowhere to be found, but I'm sure you know our Number XIV well."

"I do. What do you want, Marluxia? Why are you here?"

"To the point, huh? I like that. To the first, I want the same goal that every other Nobody wants- a way to get into Kingdom Hearts and reunite with my heart. To the second, to create an army of Nobodies that will help me with this task."

"That means Giratina isn't a full-fledged Heartless yet, or his Nobody would be here."

"Correct, your little intervention made sure of that. Stand aside, so that I may be able to finish what I started."

"I'll die before I do so." I said. "I cannot let you harm the lives of others to further your own gain. My duty as a Keyblade Knight demands that."

"Such a pity, then. I didn't want to have to kill one as young as you. It would leave a bad feeling in my heart."

"Don't make me laugh. Nobodies don't have hearts."

He laughed at my response. "Then you are smarter than the last Keyblade wielder I met. He was so naïve. But then again, so are you if you think you can stop me."

He lunged forward with his scythe, swinging in a large arc to try t hit me. I ducked under the blade as it came near me, firing a close-range arrow into his chest. He was knocked back, and I launched more arrows at him, each of them deflected by graceful parries or dodged by equally graceful jumps. His scythe hooked around my bow, pulling it from my grasp and threatening to kill me.

I jumped, calling my bow to my hands in blade form. I dropped down, pinning his weapon to the ground. I smirked in my attack, feeling confident. However, it's always right then and there that something happens to ruin that confidence. He launched a wave of energy at me, knocking me away. I found myself covered with rose petals, which I shook off.

"Why don't you just give up?" He said. "It would be easier for the both of us." He swung his weapon t me, and I barely blocked it in time.

"Because," I said, twirling around and landing a vertical slash on his forehead. "I'm just not the type to give up." He faced me with rage; anger- or pseudo anger, nobodies don't have emotions- filling his form. I apparently struck a nerve by ruining his visage.

I just hope Zack is having a better time fighting Giratina…

(A/N: I hope Zack will last more than three seconds against that dragon. See you all next week. ~Nano)


	7. Familiar Face

Chapter 6  
Familiar Face

(Pokémon Zack's point of view.)

I ran after the Lord of the Reverse World, avoiding his path of carnage as best I could. Giratina had gone into a frenzy after that mark appeared on his head, not caring for anything around him. I'm not even sure he cared for himself, as his body was used as a weapon on more than one occasion. I turned a corner, only to find he had disappeared from my sight.

"Well, crap. Where do I go now?" I said to myself, only to hear Giratina's roar. He was close- really close. I looked all around me, but the last thing I expected to happen did.

{Destruction! Chaos!} Giratina said. He definitely was crazy, but I still didn't see him coming. Well, until he broke the island from underneath me, shattering the rock and sending me flying. I landed on his back, and I climbed my way up to his head.

{Giratina, listen to me!} I shouted. He turned, but I held onto the golden spikes on his side. {You are not yourself! Stop this madness!} He flipped quickly, entering into a steep dive, crashing into another island. I was flung off, and I landed hard on a surface below. It's a good thing my robotic arm broke my fall.

I saw Giratina fly away, and I knew I had no hope of catching up. I might as well regroup with Zack, and we'll search together. I hopped around the islands, until I reached a rather large one. This one had a small mountain range, one that I have to traverse to get by.

I noticed other things, too. Pokémon roamed this newer landscape, but they were just shells, semi-transparent ghosts. I remembered that the dead all go to the Reverse world, so I must have stumbled upon one of the places those spirits frequent.

I traveled across the mountains as fast as I could, but Pokémon stopped to talk to me once in a while. It was a long time since they saw anyone alive, so I bet I was a novel to them.

{Who… are you..?} A ghost said to me from behind me. I turned around, to see a ghost of an Absol, one that was differently colored. {Wait… I know you… you are the human, Zack…} That's when it struck me.

{Abita?} I asked slowly.

{Yes, I am. You do remember me after all.} he padded forward on slivery paws, his ghost form more graceful than when he was alive. {Do not worry, Zack. I have no desire to kill or harm you anymore.}

Cautiously, I asked, {Why?}

{For two reasons. The first, I couldn't hurt you anyway, since I am but a humble spirit now. The second, you had given my daughter hope and help, and that is a debt I cannot repay, especially now.} He stopped in his approach, looking at me with ice-blue eyes. {However, to try to settle my debt, I will help you with knowledge. Anything I know, anything at all, is yours.}

I was surprised by the sudden development. But, I wasn't one to turn down an offer of friendship. {Thank you, Abita. I do have one question for you, though. Before you- well, kicked the bucket, you mentioned you were a human before. Would you mind explaining?}

{Sit.} He said, gesturing to a stable-looking tree stump. He sat down in front of it, and shared his story. {I was a young human at the time. Not as young as you, but in my… early twenties, I'd say. It's hard to remember. But, anyway, I was contacted by a mysterious organization one day. They said they wanted to further human understanding with Pokémon. They wanted to make us better.}

{I see. So you accepted?}

{Yes, Zack. I went to a research lab in Orre, where I met with Mrs. Dakol, one of their head researchers.}

{I knew you said that name.}

{Does it have special meaning to you?}

{Yes, it's my last name. My mom was that researcher.}

Abita shifted on his silver paws. {Intriguing. But, she said that their goal was 'to further human interaction with Pokémon by bonding with them.' At the time, I thought it was some sort of accelerated friendship thing- I would be friends faster with any Pokémon. But I was wrong. They had taken the DNA of an Absol and injected it into my brain, where it replicated and mutated to spread throughout my body.}

{That must have been painful.}

{It was indeed. I was mutating into an Absol. My spine readjusted to fit a quadruped, and my species' trademark sickle-horn grew rather explosively. I was in pain and turmoil until it was over, and I was a Pokémon. Then, after all was over, they didn't even try to feel sympathetic. All the scientists said was that I was a failure, and they kicked me out to the wild.}

{It's no wonder you hated humans after that. I would too.}

{Yes. That was my story. But, Zack, could you answer me something?}

{Sure, Abita.} I felt sympathetic for my old enemy. I mean, who wouldn't?

{How is my daughter handling my death? I want to know.}

I wasn't sure how to respond to him. I decided with the honest route. {Talia isn't taking it well. She spends most of her time in front of your grave.}

{Really? I had that much of an impact on her…} I had to cheer him up, though.

{However, another Absol had appeared. He won't say his real name, since he can't remember it, but we call him Dusk. He says you saved him when he was a pup.}

Abita thought, reaching back into his mind. {Dusk… he was that young Absol I rescued when his mother was killed by humans… a fine young man by now, I'm sure. It's good to know that someone is by her side now.}

{They seem rather close to each other. I believe Dusk wishes to court Talia.} I laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood.

{Really? I do believe he'll have a hard time with that. But, Zack, could you do me a favor?}

{Sure. What is it?}

{When you get back to the real world, give Talia and Dusk my blessing as her father and his mentor. They'll know what I mean by it.}

{I will. Thank you for your time, Abita.} I started to get up, and walk off when Abita called me back.

{Say, something seems different… we met only once, but I do not recall your face to be that appearance.} he pointed his claw to a small pool of water, and I looked in.

{What the hell..?} I whispered to myself. My green hair had a blue-ish stripe down the middle, and my eyes were a darker yellow- no, orange in color.

{Were you like this before?}

{No, no, maybe it has something to do with my Aura Powers.}

{Aura? You truly are a strange human.} Abita walked over to me, ready to travel. { I may not be able to leave this world, but I will help you finish your goals here. It is the least I can do for what you have done and promised for me.}

We walked out of the mountains at last, and out into the Reverse World plains. In the distance, Giratina's Pained howls could be heard.

(A/N: A slightly filler chapter. Yay. Next week: Zack, Abita, and Zack VS Marluxia and Giratina. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will keep their sanity? Find out next time! ~Nano)


	8. Brothers in Arms

Chapter 7  
Brothers In Arms

(Kingdom Hearts Zack's point of view)

The fight against Marluxia was dragging on and on. I could barely stand, let alone fight. But I had to, not just to secure Xion's heart fragment, but to save this world from drowning in darkness. I parried one of his scythe slashes, only to feel his fist hit my face two seconds later. I was drained and weak, and my opponent knew it.

"What's the matter, can you not keep up?" he called out cockily, breaking character for once. "Is this all a great Keyblade Knight can do? I'm disappointed. Who do you think you are, anyway?"

"I'm your prom date, you transvestite son of a b-" I was cut off mid-sentence by a deafening roar, one that I knew to be Giratina's. Marluxia turned to his left, where I saw the dragon-heartless fly in. I could tell by his eyes and aura signature that he was no longer a deity.

"Ah, backup has arrived. Not that I needed it, anyway. I could kill you with ease." Marluxia said.

I retorted, "Then why haven't you?" However, inside, I asked myself, _Where is Zack? Did he fail? Did he… die? _ I brushed the thought behind me, however, dodging a blow from my opponent's scythe. I jumped skyward, my injuries limiting my reach. I flung my blades downward, both of them stabbing his shoulders, missing his face by inches.

I stumbled on my landing, grabbing my ribs in pain. One of them must have broken during the exchange. "Now would have been a great time to be able to use magic. I should've had Xion teach me some…" Giratina was helping my pink-haired enemy, however, as he charged me down, enveloped in a shadowy aura. I was hit head-on, my body bending almost in half around the dragon's head.

"Shit shit shit!" I screamed out loud- we were headed straight for a stone pillar. However, Giratina was knocked off course by a blue orb of energy. I got up off the ground, the dragon having thrown me off. Looking towards the direction the orb came from, I saw Zack standing next to a spirit of what I assumed to be a Pokémon. It was a while since I picked up my DS, so I couldn't tell the species.

"What took you so long?" I asked, smiling.

"I had a short detour come my way after the Lord of the Reverse World flew off." Zack responded, helping me to my feet. "This is Abita, a good friend of mine now."

"Pleasure." The spirit said, bowing his head. I nodded in return.

"Look out!" Zack yelled loudly, turning me around. I looked up, and Marluxia was diving at us with his scythe, about to hit me. I rolled out of the way, wincing in pain as my ribs hit the ground. I summoned my bow to my hand, reaching up with the other for an arrow. It hit home, lodging itself in his shoulder as Zack jumped up with his blade for a slice to his head. Abita, as a spirit, could do nothing to hurt him, but tried to distract him.

Giratina flew overhead, launching Dragonbreath attacks whenever he could at us. I saw his glittering Griseous Orb, and a thought struck me. I aimed my bow at him, switching my arrows to the faster lightning ones. One of them hit the orb, knocking it out of the dragon's grasp. Almost at once, Giratina landed, resuming his original form. The orb, however, fell right next to yours truly.

"Ha! I got the orb, Giratina." I said cockily. I noticed something strange about it, though. It was glowing, and pulsating, in my arms. I held it out, and it floated up a few feet, glowing brighter and brighter. I aimed my bow at it, and the world went dark, just me and the orb.

A starry background appeared around me. I knew myself to have found the heart of the world. The orb transformed, turning into a giant keyhole in the sky. My bow was aimed at it in seconds, launching one single beam of light into it. The area around the keyhole shattered, revealing a yellow path into a void.

"This world is now connected." I said, knowing it to be true. When I opened my eyes next, I was back where I was, but two things happened. Firstly, the Griseous Orb fell to the ground, dull and lifeless. Second, the darkness covering Giratina was flowing out of him, and the Heartless insignia on his head disappeared.

"No, all my hard work, for nothing!" Marluxia shouted, pinning Zack to the ground. My twin blades were at his throat in seconds, pushing him off of my comrade.

"Thanks, Zack." He said.

"No problem, other Zack." I replied. Abita ran over to Giratina, obviously to see if he was okay. I'd figure that the darkness would take a while to banish for good, so we had to defend the dragon. I decided that backup would be nice right now.

"Cover me, I'm going to get us some help."

"No problem, my bow-wielding friend." He ran over to our pink-haired foe, locking blades with him to stall for time. I banished my bow, concentrating on the magic inside my heart. I focused on the gummi ship, and its teleportation system. A ring of green energy surrounded me, and when a white light appeared on the ground, I knew the process to be over.

"Come and get some!" I yelled at Marluxia, ramming my shoulder into his body to knock him back. Xion and Rex appeared shortly, using the green teleporter to jump right in with us. Xion threw her Keyblade outright at him, obviously out of some personal vendetta by the expression on her face. Rex charged an aura sphere, holding it to get a clear shot at him.

"I've about had it with you, flower boy!" Zack yelled, brandishing his sword-arm with a pink glow to it. When he swung it, the pink energy flew off, and I swear, if it was an actual blade, would have sliced Marluxia in two. "What the fuck?" he said to himself afterwards.

"Boss, you're a Pokémon now?" Rex hollered, running to him after hitting Marluxia with his energy sphere.

"I… don't know. That looked like Psycho Cut, but it couldn't have been. I just used my Aura Powers in a new way, that's all. It's good to see you again, Rex, and that you evolved."

"Something seems wrong, Boss."

"I'll tell you after we're done here." Marluxia, on the other hand, had had enough.

"You brats… ruining my schemes… I'll get you for this… Just pray we don't cross paths again!" He vanished in black smoke, and the battle was won.

Xion ran up to embrace me in a hug, and I stupidly stood there, not knowing if I should hug back. I eventually did, though, after hearing Rex and Zack's laughter.

An hour later, Zack had filled Rex in on his travels, not telling Xion or I, since we were outsiders. Giratina had recovered, and was talking to us. "I must thank you four-"

"Ahem" Abita interjected.

"Five, sorry. I must thank you all for helping me to recover from the darkness. Please, tell me if you require anything in return, heroes."

I responded, "Xion and I require nothing, I have what I came here for." I held out the fused gems, which started to resemble a heart's bottom.

"I'd like a way back to the Hall of Origin with you, and a small favor when we get there." Zack said, Rex nodding next to him.

"Of course. Climb aboard, all of you. Even you two spacefarers; my father will want to thank you for your assistance himself." We climbed up onto Giratina's back, and he let loose a roar to split apart the heavens in his realm. Through the portal, I saw a pearl-white room, filled with Pokémon.

(A/N: Another chapter down. I can tell you, I am excited to write the next chapter. So excited, in fact, that don't be surprised if it's up tomorrow or even later today. What happens next? Find out relatively soon! ~Nano)


	9. Revelations

Final Chapter  
Revelations

(Pokémon Zack's point of view)

(A/N: Here it is, the final chapter of my third story. After this chapter, I'm going to take a break from my dual Zacks and work on my LOZ/FMA crossover. So, above all else, please enjoy this final chapter. ~Nano)

The Hall of Origin was as white and blinding as I remembered it. Giratina crashed into the room, landing almost perfectly next to Arceus, who was thrown back in shock. "My son Giratina! You have returned!" He cried out in happiness, the rest of the room celebrating as well.

"Yes, father. However, if it were not for these four, I would not have returned. I doubt I'd still be alive." We slid off of the dragon's back, onto the table in the room, standing at attention to Arceus.

"Really? I seem to have underestimated you, human. You have accomplished that which I was too afraid to do. Even if you did receive assistance; for the life of my son, I am forever in your debt." Arceus, the bringer of life, then did something most unexpected. He bowed.

The rest of the room followed suit, ending their bow as soon as Arceus did. "My Lord Arceus, I require only that which was promised to me, nothing more or less."

"Of course, I had almost forgotten. Your love, the Gardevoir known as Kiara. I will bring her back, as with our agreement." He turned to Giratina. "My son, can you assist me? You are the guardian of spirits. Your power will be of great importance."

"Of course, father." Giratina turned to me, and spoke. "Have you anything of her, or of her possession? It would be easier to lock onto her Aura if you did."

Zack, Xion, and Rex looked at me, and I stepped forward, opening up the compartment on my arm for Pokéballs. Taped to the underside of the lid was the strands of Kaira's hair that were salvaged by Aelita and my mother. "Here," I said, holding the strands up to the gods, "This was part of her hair. It was of the little that could be found of her."

Arceus took the hair, levitating it up to him and his son. Meanwhile, I looked at Zack, who had created another one of those green circles on the ground. "I guess you're leaving?"

"Yeah, other worlds, other heart shards call for us." He said. "If Xion is to have a heart, or what you call a soul, I ned to hurry up and gather the rest of the shards."

"Feel free to drop by anytime, my friend. Fighting alongside you was enjoyable. I still owe you for helping me."

"I'll take you up on that offer later. For now, farewell." The two of us shook hands, and he stepped into the circle after Xion did, vanishing in an instant. I waved good-bye to the empty space, and I knew I wouldn't forget him anytime soon. However, my attention re-focused on the gods above me, who were concentrating hard on their task.

A few minutes went by. Half an hour. A full hour. I was sitting down, playing with a deck of cards I had in my bag with Rex and two of the other legendaries (Dialga and Jirachi). "Zack, come here," I heard Arceus's voice call out. I jumped up and ran to him, eager to see Kiara again.

"I'm afraid I cannot keep my promise to you, Zack." Was what he said. Anger filled my vision- after all I did for him, after all I risked for his son- he couldn't keep his end of the bargain? I unsheathed my blade, murder in my eyes.

"Calm down, Zack. Please keep in mind we do have the ability to see Aura and sense them over vast distances and dimensions." Giratina said.

"Then explain to me why you can't bring Kiara back." I growled, anger creating a gravel-like undertone to my voice.

"We did sense her Aura, Zack, but there is one problem." Giratina spoke.

"What problem would that be?"

Arceus responded, "Because, Zack. Out of all my powers, it is still beyond me to bring someone back from the dead, when they have not perished in the first place."

"Wh-What? She's Alive?!" I said in shock and surprise. All this time… "Where is she?" I demanded.

"I cannot place her Aura exactly, but I can teleport you there. It is all I can do to help you." Arceus created such a portal, but one I couldn't see through.

"Rex, return," I said, pulling out his Pokéball. "Thank you, Lord Arceus. For everything." I ran into the portal, jumping headfirst into it.

(T-T-T-T-T-Time Warp! Well, sort of.)

I popped out in sand. Lots of sand. But that didn't surprise me- Kiara was injured in the desert of Orre, after all. What did surprise me was that my mom's workplace, the Pokémon HQ Lab, was in front of me. I touched Kiara's hair, invoking my newfound powers of Aura. Maybe I could track her. What I found, however, was that the entire building was painted with her Aura signature.

"What the hell..?" I muttered, walking in the front door. My mother was the first to greet me, having been in the hall at the same time.

"Zack! You should have told me you were coming here, I would have tidied up a little!" she said. She sounded surprised, but I wasn't sure.

"Mom, you know I left to bring Kiara back to life, right?"

"Yes, honey, you made that all too apparent."

"Well, I met up with Arceus, and he told me something shocking. He told me she was still alive."

"That's great news, honey! So, I assume that-" I had to cut her off right here.

"That she's in the building? Yeah, I can tell with an Aura sense I picked up in the reverse world." I looked around. "So, where is she?"

"I guess I should drop the child act, then. You are a grown man, or close to it, anyway. I'll tell you right now; she is here, and she's alive."

I was stunned again, but not for as long or as apparent as last time. "Why did you lie to me, and say she died?"

"Bait, plain and simple. I needed a way to get to the Hall of Origin, and you offered the perfect opportunity to get there, son."

"What?"

"You were, from your birth, designed for this. You are the pinnacle of seven generations of research! You are the future!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your powers. Your ability to talk to Pokémon, your control over Pokémon moves- I knew you could do all of it from th start. Since before you were born."

"How? How did you know I would have these abilities?"

"We know you met up with Abita, a failed test subject. He told you that we fused DNA of Pokémon with him. He wasn't the only one. Many other people suffered the same fate as he, transforming into other Pokémon, living new lives. Until I had an ingenious idea."

My mother walked over to my other side, and continued. "I was two monthe pregnant at the time with you. I had an idea- the people were rejecting the DNA because their own was already developed. You, on the other hand, had a while until that happened. I injected the DNA of a Gallade into you when you were just two months in my womb, and look at the results- a perfect blend of Pokémon and human!"

"I'm a test subject? A science project?"

"Yes, my son. You belong to Cipher, since you are the fruit of our research. Your plan to resurrect your "love?" I planted those books in the library, to get the idea in your head. You went to the Hall of origin, and you gave us the location. For that, you have benefitted us greatly."

"I'm just a pawn… I'm just a tool? Does Dad even know?"

"No."

"If I'm a tool of Cipher, can I at least see Kiara?"

"I thought you'd be more surprised by all of this, Zack."

"I am surprised. You've flipped my world, and shattered it. All I ask is that I get to see, to talk to, my love again. Where is Kiara?"

"This way." She led me deep into the confines of the basement of the facility, far beyond where I thought it to end. She led me down a series of rooms, all locked and all with one small window. She stopped at room forty-seven. I peered inside the room, and indeed, I saw Kiara for the first time in months, as she sat on the bed in the room.

She was sad and depressed, I could tell. From looking at her, she was also underfed, her ribs showing from under her dress and skin. But most of all, it was the puddle of tears at her feet and the stains from her tears on the bed that got me. I banged on the window, to get her attention. She looked up at me, and ran over to the door, looking at me with sheer joy in her eyes. She mouthed something, but the door was soundproofed, and I couldn't hear her. I just stood there, loking into her eyes.

"Let me in."

"No. you still serve an important cause to us."

"I said, LET ME IN!" I yelled, brandishing my blade outward. I felt an electric jolt hit my throat, my mother holding the charged baton.

"No, you will do as we wish, if you want Kiara to stay alive. You belong to Cipher now." I blacked out, my body hitting the floor. The last thing I saw was Kiara banging her hand against the window, screaming something I couldn't hear.

THE END

(End credits)

Special Thanks  
Mom and Dad- for support  
Brother- for not bothering me while I'm writing  
My friends- for giving me input and their opinions of chapters  
My Aunt- for finally deciding to read my stories  
You- for reading 'till the end.

Music  
Ending theme (KH crew)- Lightning's Theme, Final Fantasy XIII  
Ending Theme (Pokémon Zack)- _Still Waiting, _by Sum 41

"_When all seems lost, and you feel like you cannot travel any farther, you're halfway there!"_

-Wise Echidna, from_ Legend_ _of the Guardians- Owls of Ga'Hoole_


End file.
